Again
by silverraven o-o
Summary: Short fanfiction, inspired by the first fight between Naruto and Sasuke. The moment when Kakashi finds Naruto unconscious.


Hello everyone. Honestly I don´t know if I´m any good at writing fanfiction but the anime scene where Kakashi finds Naruto after his fight with Sasuke moved me and so i decided to give it a try. After watching the scene for a second time I realized some details in the story are differing...and I completely left out the pouring rain. Still I think it renders my impressions and I didn´t change it.

I would be grateful for any kind of comment/criticism. And please tell if I used some english expressions or words in a wrong way. Anyway I hope you enjoy it.

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Kakashi raced through the trees, following his ninja dog Pakkun. He didn´t know what awaited him...but he was prepared for the worst. Prepared - how could one be prepared for the sight of his own students wounded or even... Focus. He didn´t want to imagine the worst outcome of his own failure. But still, images of Sasuke and Naruto flashed through his mind. Blood covered...bodies broken...

„We should be there soon." the jounin was thankful to Pakkun for tearing him out of his thoughts. Please let us get there in time.

The wood cleared and a river became visible, along with the huge stone statues. He flinched as he spotted a bright yellow figure on the riverbench. Not again -without a sound the jounin landed on the stone...in front of a motionless Naruto. His eyes were closed but his faced still showed the pain of the battle, the pain of fighting his best friend. Sasuke. Kakashi closed his eyes in despair. He failed again...they were his students..his responsability. He should have known...oh he had been so careless. Not again. Obito. Rin.

With a huge effort he opened his eyes. Pakkun sat very still on Narutos side but he did not howl. At least he was alive. Slowly the jounin rose to his feet...his shoulders felt heavy – his whole body endlessly tired. So he had lost Sasuke after all - hadn´t been able to hold him back - and neither had Naruto. It was utterly unfair, why would anyone load more pain on Naruto. His hand closed around the scratched foreheadprotector . He placed it on Naruto´s stomach before carefully lifting his student in his arms. He remembered the weight of his dead comrades - so many had he held...carried...left behind. And the one corpse he never even got to carry...the one boy who´s remains lay crushed under the rocks somewhere...the first one he failed protect. Obito.

His heart felt heavy with regrets, so tired of feeling the same pain over and over again. „I´m so sorry Naruto, I didn´t make it in time." He looked down at the pale figure cuddled to his chest, the clothes near his shoulder torn from a well known technique. „i see - so you went all out, didn´t you" How frail he looked. Once again the Jounin asked himself where this boy took the strenght to face this world. Where this bravery came from to face each new day, to carry the burden once more. And to smile so brightly right in the face of the very world that made him suffer.

Kakashi wondered if it wasn´t best for Naruto to remain like this forever, never to wake up again...not to feel the pain of losing his friend. That would be the worst of all...the guilt...the anger...and the helplessness. Kakashi understood so well what this awakening would be like...far more painful than a broken body could ever be.

He hadn´t been able to protect him..them. Why was he still a Sensei if it only resulted in pain. „don´t worry, i won´t ever let anyone of my team die" His team must hate him for these words today. He had wanted so hard to keep this promise. The jounin cleared his head from the dark thoughts - don´t pity yourself, idiot.

He felt the boy on his back stirr, struggling to regain consciousness „ Sas--Sasuke" the question was nearly a whisper. The voice so full of despair. The jounin felt like his heart ache as he slowly shook his had. What could he possibly have said. It pained even more as he felt the blonde boy shiver slightly on his back...only to let himself fall into the darkness again. Darkness he knew was more comforting at the moment than the cruel reality. His body feeling heavy like not often before, Kakashi gently took of to the trees, carrying an hoplessly lonely Naruto back to Konoha, returning what was left oft team seven. The team he should have protected with his own life.


End file.
